Giffords

THIS MANOR was the holding of a family named either Giffard or Gifford in the 1190s, when Giffard de Gilston called Peter de Goldington to “warrant to him a quarter of a virgate of land in Gilston”, which he had by charter of Thomas, his father. In 1307, Ralph Giffard was among the tenants at Gilston assessed for a lay subsidy, and in 1324 this Ralph was in debt to the younger Hugh le Despenser for £40, levied on his lands in Essex and Hertfordshire. In 1341, John Gifford made a settlement of two messages, two mills, 240 acres of land with appurtenances in Gilston, Sawbridgeworth, and Eastwick on himself and his wife Margaret in 1341. William Gifford, probably the son of John, left his daughter Margaret as his heir. She married John Chauncy, and in 1418 a quitclaim of a moiety of the estate mentioned above was made to them by William Johane of Hatfield Broadoak in Essex who had married Joan, another heiress of the estate.

Their son John died in 1479 seised of this Manor, and it passed to his son, also John. He settled it on his son William, and a quitclaim was made to him by Leonard Killesham and his wife Griselda, James Frauncys and Alice in 1492, and John Wypall and Wifrid his wife in 1549. It passed to his second son Henry, and immediately after his death in 1587 it was conveyed to George Chauncy by his heir William. William’s eldest son, Maurice, became a monk at the Carthusion monastery, and the family was accused of “seditious practices favouring Popery” in 1581. George Chauncy sold it to Alexander Williams of the Pipe Office, who married Elizabeth Carter, the sister of Sir Dudley Carleton, the Ambassador at the Hague.

Giffords was later sold to John Gore, the Lord Mayor of London in 1624, who died seised of the Lordship in 1636. His son was Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1639, and he was knighted by Charles I in 1641. He fought as a royalist during the Civil War, but later was reconciled with Cromwell’s government. He died in 1659, having settled the messages and farm called Upperhall, a mill in Hunsdon, and the Manors of Overhall, Netherhall, and Giffords on his son Humphrey Gore “on the occasion of his marriage to Persis English”.

Humphrey was knighted in 1660, and was succeeded by his second son Henry in 1699, his eldest son having died within his father’s lifetime. Henry sold the Manors to John Plumer of Blakesware, who died in 1719, and is buried at East. The Lordships passed to his second son, William, who was MP for Hertfordshire in 1754. He settled the Manors on his son, also William, who was MP for Hertfordshire from 1768-1806. He was also buried at Eastwick in 1822, and his widow married Robert Ward, who assumed the name of Plumer. They lived at Gilston Park, and he was sheriff of the county in 1832. Ward was a well known politician, and a great friend of the Prime Minister of the time, William Pitt the Younger. He was later an under-secretary to the Foreign Office, and had a seat on the Board of the Admiralty. He wrote several books on the law, and also gained a reputation as a novelist, though Canning’s remark “His law books are as pleasant as his novels, and his novels as dull as his law books” has a grain of truth in it.

The Manor passed to Henry George Ward, who sold it to John Hodgson, whose brother William succeeded in 1882. On his death in 1886 the Manor passed to his nephew Edward Salvin Bowlby. His son, Arthur Salvin Bowlby, inherited the title in 1902 and Giffords remains in that family. The courts let and courts Baron for this Manor and the Manor of Netherhall used to be held at the Plume and Feathers Inn.

The Lordship lies in the parishes of Gilston and Sawbridgeworth, about four miles south of Bishop’s Stortford.

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• Court Rolls 1526-1690 Herts RO
• Extent 1304 PRO
• Pedigree of the
• Villens of the
• Manor temp Edw I
• Extracts of
• the Court 1619-38 Herts RO
• Fines 1627, 1634/5
• Courts & View
• of Frankpledge 1539-55 PRO
• Extreat of Court
• Rolls 1598
• Accounts &
• Rentals C17th Herts RO
• Extracts from
• Court Baron C18th & C19th
• Court Rolls 1603 Kent AO
• Account Roll 1615
• Rentals late C19th Hunts RO

Historical holder / succession information

1. his son, also John [source claim requiring identity review]
   1479 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: Their son John died in 1479 seised of this Manor, and it passed to his son, also John.
2. Henry George Ward
   1882 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: The Manor passed to Henry George Ward, who sold it to John Hodgson, whose brother William succeeded in 1882.
3. his nephew Edward Salvin Bowlby [source claim requiring identity review]
   1886 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: On his death in 1886 the Manor passed to his nephew Edward Salvin Bowlby.